


Providence

by GrayArcadian



Series: Interface - Part One: Memory [1]
Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, First Meetings, Murder Mystery, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:35:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25030240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrayArcadian/pseuds/GrayArcadian
Summary: While the Enterprise is undergoing last-minute checks, Lt. Yar is recruited to investigate the USS Providence, which has limped its way back to the Utopia Shipyards, alongside the newly assigned 1st officer for the ship. What secrets does the Providence crew hide? And does their 1st officer truly belong with the Providence - or is he better suited elsewhere?Completely compatible and meant to be read with my other story, "After Farpoint."(Revised and reposted from fanfiction.net)
Relationships: Data/Tasha Yar
Series: Interface - Part One: Memory [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1682440
Comments: 5
Kudos: 9





	Providence

_Welcome to your life / There's no turning back_

_\- Tears for Fears. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World."_

The _USS Providence_ didn't so much sail into the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards as lurch like an unexpected and uninvited intoxicated wedding guest does to their assigned seat. The aged ship arrived with two of its four warp nacelles offline and one other sputtering like a candle in a rainstorm. A cursory glance by a trained eye would show a great deal of patchwork repairs, and – if one was capable of scanning it in the detail the young Lieutenant Commander was employing now – the observer would see that the ship had been repeatedly patched with less than ideal methods and had delayed routine maintenance.

It was, Data thought to himself, something of a letdown.

For a full second, he tried to analyze the sensation to see if it could truly be cataloged as disappointment. It would be thrilling to be sincerely disappointed; to feel a pull downward in his systems indicating displeasure and the shattering of expectation. Instead, what his positronic mind came back with was the same logical analysis of the situation every other near encounter with emotion had been. Even then, the logical conclusion was less than optimal. Paradoxically, it was even more of a letdown.

Lieutenant Commander Data took a moment to review the transfer briefing. The _Providence_ was one of the aging Constellation-class vessels which were primarily used for support and explorations. This ship's mission had included interstellar transportation duties, primarily between Federation worlds bordering Orion territory as well as a host of friendly, but unaligned, colonies. It was not glamorous work, but contrary to the stereotype, Starfleet officers did not seek out adventure and danger. Adventure and danger, however, tended to find Starfleet officers.

The crew of the _Providence_ was, by all accounts, a tightly knit grouping of 60 officers and crew, led by Captain M'Sera. M'Sera's record and psychological profile suggested the Deltan was more mirthful than was standard for the species and gravitated easily into a career made up of steady, but somewhat unremarkable, service aboard smaller vessels. Much of his crew had been with him for more than a decade, which was unusual, but not unheard of in Starfleet. If a team worked well, Starfleet was loathed to take away or remove elements of its functionality unless there proved pressing reasons.

The reason he had been offered this assignment was one of those kinds of pressing reasons. The first officer, Marianna Taylor, had been, unfortunately, killed in the line of duty during the same encounter that had sheared off two of the warp nacelles. Details were lacking at this time, but he already greatly regretted that a woman's death was the impetus for the new opportunities presented to him.

Despite the support of the captain and the solid working relationship he had had with the _Trieste's_ crew, he felt he had completed all the development which was possible aboard the vessel. Professionally, he'd earned several commendations for valor and, quite possibly, could have spent his time working his way through the ranks to one day captain the ship, but personally, the crew – while not rude or mean-spirited – still regarded him as an "other" and kept their collective distance.

This left several areas of his positronic matrix underdeveloped or blocked off from further access. Unlike humans who frequently did not understand how or why they were "mentally blocked," he knew such limitations were there. In the past, certain stimuli or developmental milestones had opened or altered previously closed off areas. He had hoped a transfer to the _Providence_ would offer him a new set of experiences, and, perhaps aboard the close-quartered vessel, he would begin to develop long-term, lasting friendships.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Providence's docking was the talk of the shipyards the next day, and Lieutenant Yar was curious as anyone about what had happened to the ship. Still, she had a pile of her own work to do with Captain Picard guest lecturing at the Academy. The only problem was that it was dull.

She took another sip of coffee. The ship's counselor would be arriving within the next few days to take some of this off her hands. When her badge chittered, she thought it might have been her early arrival. "Yar here."

A disembodied male voice the Security Chief didn't recognize began to speak. "Lieutenant Yar. This is Admiral Aaron. I need to speak with you on a pressing matter."

Tasha was on immediate alert. "Aye, sir. I can meet you in the senior officer meeting room. The privacy systems are in place for that room."

"See you there in 10 minutes then, Lieutenant. Aaron out."

It wasn't fully stocked yet. Chairs still needed to be added, and the walls still showed the hard work of the engineers and programmers rounding out the last few details of the security workings the room contained. It suited Yar just fine. She preferred to stand or pace.

The Admiral strode into the room, barely glancing at her until he crossed the table and put down a PADD. "I don't have much time, so I'll get to the point. Three hours ago, the _Providence_ came to the station for its scheduled maintenance; only the ship had taken heavy damage, and there was one casualty: the first officer, Lieutenant Commander Taylor. A new first officer has been assigned, but -" He eyed the PADD quickly before handing it over to her.

"But?"

"Officially, the case is closed, but Intelligence believes there more to this than meets the eye. The officer, though talented, is not an investigator. The nuances of organic behavior elude them."

Tasha frowned. "Organic, sir? That doesn't make sense. All life is organic."

Aaron shrugged. "Take it up with them and the Academy Entrance Committee."

She read the first line of the file. "Sir, I've heard of the case, but -" Tasha stopped. She was trying to find the right words, and they floated like gnats just outside swiping range.

"But what, Lieutenant Yar?"

"With all due respect, Admiral, if even half of the capabilities that have been written up about the Commander check out, then I'm not sure what I could offer in addition."

"Let's start with a set of eyes I trust – a pair of critical eyes that can see when people are not who or what they say they are – and one that will report what they find to me?"

Tasha squared her shoulders. "I won't let you down, sir."

"The files for everything you need to know are encrypted on that tablet," he said, pointing at the device in her hands. "Logs, personnel files – included the Lieutenant Commander's – damage reports, and cargo notices. All there for your review."

Her eyes narrowed. "I assume you don't want me over there saying I'm investigating them?"

"Heavens no. You will be over there – officially – because you want to train the crew in emergency urban survival skills and to oversee the overhaul of their tactical systems for more run-and-gun maneuvers. Since you practically wrote a guide for both during your Academy days, your lower rank shouldn't be an issue."

"I had excellent professors, sir."

A droll look shot her way. "This is not a time to be modest, Lieutenant. In fact, your cover story will work more effectively if you present yourself as the foremost expert. Is that understood?"

"Aye, sir."

"Good." He crossed the table and made for the door, but he paused before exiting. "One other thing: don't be thrown off by the android. He could possibly help, but I suspect he'll be more of a hindrance. He's apparently 'burningly curious.' Use that resource with discretion. Understood?"

There was only one reply to make to that. "Yes, understood, sir. Close but not too close."

**Author's Note:**

> I had to stop working on this one three years ago due to life and something about my outline not working out. I'm fairly sure I have it worked out. Keep knocking on wood for me.
> 
> So much of this relationship was off panel. Let's get it on panel, shall we?


End file.
